Black Research Network Collaborative Research Catalyst Grant 

The BRN launched in October 2021 at the University of Toronto. We support Black excellence by enhancing the visibility and impact of Black-led research, sustaining a cross-divisional, interdisciplinary network of Black scholars and facilitating robust research engagement across U of T. 

• Funding of $10,000–$20,000 for a one-year period 

• A limited number of awards are available each fiscal year, subject to funding availability 

The CRCG is open to teams of two Black-identifying Principal Investigators (PIs) who hold appointments at one or more of the University of Toronto’s three campuses (St. George, Scarborough, or Mississauga).  

PIs may be based at the same campus or across different university campuses.  

Applicants must: 

• Confirm the participation of both PIs, including their faculty appointment, department/unit, campus affiliation, and eligibility requirements, and a total funding request of $10,000–$20,000 

• Ensure that all requested expenses fall within the eligible expense categories listed below 

• Ensure that all planned activities take place or are completed within one year of the award start date 

Eligible expenses:  

• RA stipends to support coordination, knowledge synthesis, and proposal development  

• Freelance grant writing or proposal development support  

• Workshop facilitation and convening costs to support research planning activities  

• Limited knowledge mobilization activities directly linked to proposal development (e.g., stakeholder or partner engagement sessions)  

• Travel and accommodations directly related to the development of the collaboration and external funding application.  

 Ineligible expenses:  

• Equipment for training or research, including computer equipment  

• Routine or ongoing research operating expenses, including software, consumables, and supplies   

• Teaching relief  

• Contract research (i.e., fees paid to external organizations to pay for research activities other than grant writing and proposal development support)  

• Room bookings, and catering  

• Administrative fees, faculty salaries, or institutional overhead  

Important: The funds are intended to support activities that bring collaborators together, develop the proposed research project, and prepare the external funding application. They are not intended to support the costs of conducting the proposed research itself. 

Applicants are required to complete the online application form and submit the required supporting documents as one PDF. 

The lead applicant should complete the online application form and provide the required information for all collaborators, including their name, faculty/department, appointment, and campus affiliation. 

The lead applicant and collaborator(s) should work together to prepare the following documents, which must be combined and submitted as a single PDF: 

Describe the proposed collaborative research project – one page maximum  

• Project title 

• Research questions and objectives 

• Brief description of the proposed research 

• Anticipated contribution or impact 

• Faculty members and other collaborators involved, and their roles 

External Funding Opportunity – ½ page maximum 

• Identify the external funding opportunity the team intends to pursue and briefly describe how the proposed research project aligns with the opportunity  

Participants List – Table Format

Identify the participants involved in developing the external funding application: 

• Name and institutional or organizational affiliation  

• Role/position (e.g., faculty, librarian, postdoctoral fellow, graduate student, undergraduate student, community partner)  

• Brief description of their contribution to the proposed collaboration 

Catalyst Activities – one page maximum

Describe how you will use this grant to prepare the external funding application. Include:

• Key activities (e.g., planning meetings, workshops, stakeholder engagement) 

• A clear timeline with major activities and milestones 

• How the proposed activities will strengthen the external funding application 

Budget and Justification – one page maximum

• Provide an itemized budget outlining all anticipated expenses. Include a brief justification for each expense and explain how it supports the proposed catalyst activities and development of the external funding application 

Expected Outcomes – ½ page maximum

• Describe the tangible outcomes to be achieved by the end of the funding period and how these outcomes will position the team to submit a strong application for the identified external funding opportunity. (e.g., a completed draft of the external funding application)  

• Collaborative Research Project: Clear articulation of the proposed research project and objectives 

• External Funding Opportunity: Strength and alignment of the proposed research project with the identified external funding opportunity 

• Catalyst Activities: Clarity and feasibility of the proposed activities to support development of the external funding application 

• Budget: Appropriate and justified use of funds in relation to the proposed activities  

• Outcomes: Clear and tangible outcomes that position the team to submit a competitive external funding application 

• Feasibility and Timeline: Feasibility of the proposed activities, timeline, and milestones 

Applications that meet the eligibility criteria will be adjudicated through a competitive review process. Funding decisions will be based on the recommendations of the adjudication committee. 

Reviews and committee deliberations will be conducted in confidence. Individual scores and/or rankings will not be provided. General feedback on the review process may be made available following completion of the review process. 

Successful applicants will have their funding transferred to lead applicant’s commitment fund centre (CFC). 

Upon acceptance of funding from the BRN, successful applicants will be required to serve as reviewers on BRN funding opportunities.  

The BRN offers a range of resources and programming to support researchers, including sessions on effective grant writing, navigating academia, and other research development opportunities. Researchers can also access the BRN Funding Application Repository, which provides examples of successful funding applications to help inform and strengthen future submissions. If you are looking to build research collaborations, explore the BRN Researcher Map to connect with potential collaborators across the network. 

Applicants may also find it useful to connect with the Centre for Research and Innovation Support (CRIS), which offers resources that can support developing CRCG applications. The Facilitation Toolkit provides tools, guides, and templates for structuring collaborative meetings and engagements, from early team formation to kinds of the Catalyst Activities this grant supports. Researchers can also review the CRIS Video Library, which includes Strategies for Success presentations providing overviews of Tri-Agency funding opportunities and sessions on facilitating research collaborations more broadly.  

Recipients of the award will be required to complete a final report, provide a financial report detailing how the funds were used, and participate in the annual survey, as applicable. Reminders regarding submission deadlines will be provided. 

Please note that failure to complete these requirements may be considered when assessing eligibility for future BRN funding opportunities. 

If you have any questions or require any clarifications, please do not hesitate to email us at brn@utoronto.ca